Valve-spring-compressing device



Nov. 24, 1925.

F. L. WITHAM VALVE SPRING COMPRESSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1924 3 In 2%2T V.L T Mm A d 55 wmw FRANK L. witness, or meat-cm, CALIFORNIA.

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Application filed January 9, 192 1.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, FRANK L. VVITHAM, a citizen of the United States.residing at Petaluma, county of Sonoma, and State of California, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Valve-Spring-CompressingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tool for use in handling the helical valvesprings of engine poppet valves.

Art the present time it is ditiicult to conveniently and quickly removeand replace the coil springs used inconnection with the poppet valves ofautomobile engines. This is due partly to the fact that the springs mustbe compressed in order to replace them and that there difficulty inplacing them in position due to the limited space allowed for the valvesprings in the engine design.

Vi i-th this idea in view it is the principal object of the presentinvention to provide .imple means for handling these springs,compressing them and holding them under a condition of compression untilthey have been placed in their operative position relative to the stemof the poppet valve.

The present invention contemplates the use of a base member and aplurality oi dogs which may be caused to automatically embrace the sidesof the valve spring and to hold the valve spring in a compressedcondition until such time as it is desired to release the spring.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing the present invention and itsmode of operat-ion.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in end elevation showing thereceiving groove tor the spring dogs.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation showing a valve spring compressed andheld in its compressed position by the dogs.

Fig. 4c is a modified form of the present invention showing adjustablejaws for supporting the dogs prior to the time they embrace the springs.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in end elevation of the modified form ofthe invention disclosed in the preceding figure and illustrating themounting of the adjustable jaws on the base member.

Referring more particularly to the draw ends of dogs serial no; scares.

ing indicates a base member which is here shown as formed with a:horizontal table portion 11 and a plurality of supporting legs 12.Formed longitudinally ot the table and across the horizontal plane facethereot is a groove-l3 for receiving the lower 7 V The floor otthegroove is flat and the side walls extend at right angles thereto, thusll-iSllllIlQii-llfli the dogs will be held in aligned positions relativeto each other for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

The dogs, as shown in Fig. 3,- are formed with straight body memberswhich may be made of rectangular sectioned stools and which bodyportions terminate in a head and a foot 15 and 16, respectively. at theopposite ends of the dogs. The head 15 forms a hook which will assume anoverhanging. position at the top of the spring and will engage thewasher 16 usually associated with the spring when assembled. The end ofthe head is inclined as indicated at 17 to insure that the spring willride down over the head as it is compressed. The foot 16 projectsoutwardly from the same side of the dog as the head and forms a hookwhich engages the lower end of a spring 18. The end face of the foottapers inwardly to form a heel at the outer end of the foot so that whenthis heel rests against the flat floor of the groove 13 and pressure isexerted on the foot the dog will tend to swing inwardly from the dottedline position shown in Fig. l. to the full line position shown in thesame figure.

As here shown two dogs are provided. It will be understood that anynumber might be used it a preliminary support for them is furnished. Thedogs are preferably secured together by a chain 19 which makes itpossible for them to be conveniently jerked away from the spring whenthe spring is to be released. Compression'of the spring is brought aboutby a member 20 which comprises a handle 21 an d a shaft 22. This shaftextends downwardly through a. central] opening 23 in the table andthrough a boss 24 formed beneath the table to serve in lengthening thebearing for the shaft. The opening 23 extends directly through thecenter of the groove 13 in the face of the tableand is disposedsubstantially midway the length of this groove.

In the form of the invention shown in dogs 14 are utilized as has been"previously described, but these dogs are temporarily set on movable jaws25 which may slide along ways toward and from each other as guided by abase plate 26 on which they are mounted. The movable jaws 25 are mountedbetween two plates 25 which are arranged on the base plate 26. Extendingthrough these plates 2. a are transverse pins 25 The ends of these pins25 are engaged by eyelets 25 which are threaded into the upper surfaceof the base plate 26. The movable aws 25 are provided with slots 25which engage the pins 25 so that the jaws may be moved toward and awayfrom each other between the plates These jaws are made movable so thatsprings of dilferent diameter may be accommodated. The faces of the jawswhich support the dogs diverge from the base plate to dispose the dogsat an angle to each other so that the upper ends of the dogs will swinginwardly under pressure on the spring and automatically hook over thewasher 16 when the spring has been properly compressed.

In operation of the present invention as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 theexpanded spring is placed on the table 11. The washer 16 is thenpositioned over the upper end of the spring and the shaft 22 is thenpassed downwardly through the opening in the washer and the center ofthe spring. The shaft then passes through the guide opening 28 in thetable and the boss 2%. The dogs 14: may then be positioned with theirfeet in the grooves and with the projecting portions of the feetdisposed beneath the lower end of the spring. These dogs may be held insuch position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, by one hand ofthe operator, while the other hand is being used in exerting pressure onthe handle 21. As pressure is thus exerted the flange 21 of the handlewill rest upon the washer 1G and continued pressure will tend tocompress the spring. This action will be accompanied by a tendency ofthe dogs to swing inwardly due to the tapered faces of the feet so thatwhen the spring is compressed to a point where the head is free to passover the top of the spring the force exerted on the handle will tend toswing the head of the dog over the washer and to an aligned positionalong the side of the spring. Pressure may then be released from thehandle so that expansion of the spring may then take place between thehook faces of the dogs to thus hold the dogs in position. The

a jerk on the chain 19 will remove the spring so that it will beexpanded in its proper working position.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. et the procedure issubstantially the same, other than that the dogs are temporarilysupported on the diverging faces of the movable jaws.

lVhile I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known tome, it will be understood that various changes might be made in thecombination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A. device of the character described comprising a base member, aplurality of dog members adapted to be positioned by the base member,and compression means whereby a helical spring may be forced down uponthe base member to permit the dogs to embrace the spring longitudinallyand hold it in its compressed condition, said base and dogs cooperatingto insure that the spring when compressed will be automatically engagedby the dogs.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base upon which ahelical spring may rest, a plurality of dogs adapted to assume positionslongitudinally of the spring and embrace the same to prevent expansionthereof, means forming a part of the base member for operativelypositioning the dogs relative to a spring, and compression means forexerting force upon the spring to cause it to be compressed suflicientlyto be embraced by the dogs.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base formed with aplane top face, a longitudinally extending groove formed in the top faceand having a horizontal floor and perpendicular side walls a pair ofdogs having widths substantially equal to the distance between saidperpendicular side walls and being formed with hook flanges at theiropposite ends, a centering hole passing perpendicularly through the baseand through the slot in the face thereof, and a compressing tool formedwith a spindle adapted to extend through the centering hole and actingto exert force upon a helical spring resting upon the plane face of thebase whereby it will be compressed and will he longitudinally embracedby the dogs.

4. A device of the character described comprising a base formed with aplane top face, a longitudinally extending groove formed in the top faceand having a horizontal floor and perpendicular side walls, a pair ofdogs having widths substantially equal to the distance between saidperpendienlar side Walls and being formed with helical spring; restingupon the plane face of hook flanges at their opposite ends 21 centerthebase whereby it will be compressed and ing hole passing perpendicularlythrough will be longitudinally embraced by the dogs, 10 the base andthrough the slot in the face and means formed as a part of the dogs forthereof :1 compressing tool formed with 21 causing them to swinginwardly at their spindle adapted to extend through the cenupper'ends toengage the compressed spring". tering hole and acting to exert forceupon a FRANK L. VVITHAM.

